Opening a corporate bank account in the UAE requires a valid trade licence and passing the bank's compliance checks. Approval can take from a few days to several weeks depending on the activity and ownership. This guide explains what banks look for.
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Core requirement | Valid trade licence | UAE banks / CBUAE |
| Key documents | MOA, passports, Emirates IDs, proof of address | UAE banks |
| Compliance | KYC/AML review | CBUAE rules |
| Typical timeline | Few days to several weeks | UAE banks |
| Common condition | Minimum monthly balance | UAE banks |
Opening a corporate bank account in the UAE requires a valid trade licence and passing the bank's compliance checks. Approval can take from a few days to several weeks depending on the activity and ownership. This guide explains what banks look for.
Every UAE company needs a corporate bank account, but banks apply strict know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering checks, so opening one is more involved than for a personal account.
At minimum, banks ask for the trade licence, the memorandum and articles of association, shareholder and director passports and Emirates IDs, proof of address, and a description of the business and its expected transactions.
Banks assess the business activity, the nationalities of the owners, expected turnover, and counterparties. Higher-risk activities or jurisdictions face deeper due diligence, which lengthens approval times.
Approval typically takes anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Mainland companies with a clear local activity and a physical office often clear faster than offshore or high-risk-sector entities.
Many banks set a minimum monthly balance for corporate accounts and charge a fee if it is not maintained, so compare account tiers before choosing a bank.
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